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"Through Mt Maunganui, the land is scarce. Having a home dead-flat from the road to the golf course, and then the house stretching along the full site is quite unique," he said.

According to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, Tauranga house prices have increased by 6.7 per cent year-on-year, with the average cost of a home jumping to $640,000 in the last 12 months.

Barrington says he and his fellow judges are looking at homes built in the price bracket of $1m-2m.

"These bespoke builds are getting bigger now, I think, and more bathrooms. It is quite common for every bedroom to have its own bathroom now."

Grey says each build brings with it a new set of challenges.

"In the Mount, we have predominant weather coming in from the West and the North, so it's important having those areas on either side of a home with a living area in the middle, so that you can open up each side of the home, or close it off to suit the owner."